GENEVA LABOUR CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22637, 16 February 1939, Page 12

GENEVA LABOUR CONFERENCE

TWO NOMINATIONS -MADE

MR J. ROBERTS FOR THE : WORKERS

MR W. J. MOUNT JOY PROPOSED

BY EMPLOYERS

(rSESS ASSOCIATION TELBOBAM.)

, AUCKLAND, February 15. It; was announced by the Hon. P. C. Welpb (Minister for Labour and Mines) that Mr .J. Roberts (Christchurch), secretary, of the Clothing Trades Federation of Workers, , and . Mr W. J. Mountjc/, secretary of the Wellington Employers’ Association, have been nominated as representatives to the twenty-fifth session of the International Labour Conference, which will open at Geneva on June 8. Both were nominated by a substantial majority. Mr Webb stated that if the two nominee's were approved by the Government they would go to Geneva with Government delegates, whose names have not yet been announced. The. conference agenda this year covers - the following questions:—Technical and vocational education and apprenticeship; regulation of contracts of employment; indigenous workers; recruiting; the place and conditions of labour; equality of treatment of migrant workers; regulation of hours of work and rest periods of professional drivers and their assistants of vehicles engaged in road transport; generalisation; limitation of hours of work in

industry and commerce and offices; and the reduction of hours of work in coal mines, . Bong Service to Labour Mr Roberts will make his first visit to the Old Country since he came to New Zealand 30 years ago. When eight years of age, he was taken by his father to hear Mr Keir K. Hardic, and as a youth he joined the Independent Labour Party in England. A week after arriving in New Zealand, Mr Roberts joined the Canterbury Clothing Workers’ Union, and for 15 years he was president of the union. He then succeeded Mr Fred Cooke as secretary of the union 14 years ago, and he still holds that position. He is president of the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee, president of the district council of the Federation of Labour, and a member of the Dominion executive of the federation.

He has been associated with the Woolston branch of the Labour Parly since taking up residence in Christchurch, and he has been its president. Mr Roberts, whose home is now at Mt. Pleasant, was a member of the Woolston Borough Council before the amalgamation of the borough with the city of Christchurch. Since then, his activities have been more closely identified with party organisation and industrial unity. Mr Roberts is one of the most esteemed men in the Labour .Party in Christchurch. Mrs Roberts will accompany him' to Geneva. Mr Mountjoy’s Career Mr Mountjoy is a Canterbury boy. He is a son of the late Joseph Thomas Mountjoy, of Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England, who came to New Zealand in the seventies. Mr Mountjoy was born at Timaru and was educated at the Napier District Main School. On leaving school he was apprenticed to the building industry with Messrs R. Holt and Sons, Napier. Early in 1903, he accepted a position at Palmerston North and two years later he went to Wellington, where he held executive positions until 1910, when he accepted managerial positions at Dunedin and Invercargill. In 1915 he entered the service of the Department of Labour as an inspector of ■ factories, scaffolding, and weights

and measures, etc., being first stationed at Auckland as third inspector. In 1916 he took charge of the North Otago district office at Oamaru. In 1920 he was promoted to charge of the Taranaki district office at New Plymouth, and in 1925 was transferred to the Wellington district office.

In July, 1930, Mr Mouqt|oy resigned from the Public Service lo accept the position of assistant secretary and industrial advocate to the Wellington Employers’ Association. In February, 1933, he was appointed secretary to the Wellington Employers’ Association, the position he at present holds. ’ .In conjunction with his present duties, Mr Mountjoy is also secretary of the following organisations:—New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors’ Industrial Association of Employers, Wellington Builders and Contractors’ Industrial Union of Employ-

ers, New Zealand Master Butchers’ Industrial Association of Employers, Wellington Master Butchers’ Industrial Union of Employers, New Zealand Hide and Skin Buyers and Exporters’ Association Incorporated, New Zealand Coach and Motor Body Builders’ Industrial Association of Employers, and the following Wellington Unions of Employers:—Coach and Motor Vehicle Trades, Private Hotelkeepers, Chain Grocery Stores’; Industrial District Plasterers’ and Fibrous Plasterers’; Industrial District Opticians; Furniture and Furnishing Trades; Industrial District Florists, Coal Merchants and Dealers, Ladies’ Hairdressing Salon Proprietors; Industrial District Furriers, Industrial District Soap Manufacturers, Tearoom, Restaurant and Refreshment Room Proprietors; Saddlers’, Harness Makers’, Collar Makers’, Bridle Makers’, Leather and Fibre Bag Makers; Wellington Master Tailors’ Association. In addition Mr Mountjoy has since 1930 acted as industrial adviser and advocate for the New Zealand Licensed Hotel trade and with all his duties has obtained a thorough knowledge of the various industries carried on within this Dominion.

Mr Mountjoy in his early career obtained a knowledge of industry both as a worker and as an employers’ representative, and on entering the service of the Department of Labour acquired a good deal of knowledge in connexion with the many industries that are conducted in New Zealand. In addition to the knowledge obtained he has been constantly engaged in dealing with the making of industrial agreements and awards, both in Conciliation Councils and the Court of Arbitration, on behalf of employers since the year 1930. and has taken a prominent nart in- connexion with trade and industrial matters generally.

Mr Mountjoy has four sons and one daughter. His elder son, Mr W. J. Mountjoy, jun., is well known in dramatic and elocutionary circles in New Zealand, and is at present in London occupying an'exchange teacher’s position with the London County Council.